1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to underwater cable connectors and more particularly to coaxial connectors for underwater connection.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One prior art coaxial wet connector for connecting coaxial conductors of electromechanical ocean cables underwater includes a male section having a male inner conductor extending outward from a concentric male outer conductor and a female section having a shuttle piston for receiving the male inner conductor. An O-ring wiping seal is provided to wipe the male inner conductor clean of water as the male inner conductor drives the shuttle piston rearward within the female housing until electrical interconnection between the male and female sections is completed. A female facing lip is disposed within the female housing to mate with a male facing disposed within the male housing such that water caught in the area adjacent the shuttle piston and the male and female facings is ejected by peristalic action. The space between the back side of the shuttle piston and the female inner conductor is oil filled and in fluidic communication with a circumferential bladder as are a plurality of hydraulic actuated latches utilized to transfer the mechanical forces from the female outer conductor to the female housing to the male housing and back to the male outer conductor. A squeeze ring surrounds the circumferential bladder and when a squeezing force is applied thereto a hydraulic force is applied to the back side of the shuttle piston such that the shuttle piston is driven to its forward position thereby disconnecting the male and female sections. At the same time the hydraulic force actuates the latch members to allow disengagement of the female section from the male section.
It has been found that the use of internal hydraulics powered by a squeeze ring and bladder to move the shuttle piston and simultaneously operate the latch members is complicated, difficult to build, expensive, requires higher mating forces and unmating forces than can be easily handled by divers using manipulators and, in addition, produced a larger, longer connector when mated than desired. Also, the hydraulic system prevents the shuttle piston from moving quickly enough when the connectors are unmated under tension. In addition, it was found that the female facing lip and the male facing that ejected water by peristalic action worked well during mating, allowing trapped seawater to be expelled easily. However, the seal created during mating remained effective during decoupling producing a hydraulic lock in the space between the inner conductor wiping seal and the male and female facing lips. At high ambient pressures, this increased the unmating force beyond the working limits of divers or submersible manipulator systems.